Gatsas to call it a career after 24 years
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Apr. 3—Executive Councilor Ted Gatsas said he will end a 24-year career in elective politics when he completes his third term on the council this fall.
The former Manchester mayor and Senate president, a 73-year-old Republican, said it's time to turn over the seat to the next generation of political leaders.
During an interview, Gatsas stressed that his health was fine and the time was right to retire from elective politics.
"It's been a great run and now I'm looking forward to spending more time with my wife, Cassandra, doing a little more traveling and being able to attend the sports games of my extended family members," Gatsas said.
"At some point you need to let someone else take your place and bring a different set of priorities."
Gatsas made the announcement after returning from the annual spring vacation that he and his wife enjoy in Aruba.
In 2016, Gatsas finished third in the GOP primary for governor that Chris Sununu won. Sununu went on to win the first of his four terms as the state's chief executive.
Sununu announced last summer that he would not seek a record fifth term.
"The governor has done an outstanding job and I'm sure he thought long and hard about this decision as did I," Gatsas said.
Likely candidates
Gatsas's decision will prompt a number of prominent Republicans and Democrats from Greater Manchester and beyond to consider running for what will be an open seat.
Former Health and Human Services Commissioner John Stephen of Manchester confirmed that he's weighing a bid to succeed Gatsas as GOP nominee.
"I want to say first a heartfelt thanks to Councilor Gatsas for his many years of not just state public service but for his unwavering support of communities, taxpayers and people in need of critical services," Stephen said.
Gatsas was a fierce advocate for all Manchester-area constituents, Stephen said.
"I am absolutely considering after witnessing firsthand the need for taxpayers and citizens to have a strong voice of accountability, especially where our state government is run by agencies that can forward contracts that need close scrutiny in order to keep our New Hampshire advantage," said Stephen, the Republican nominee for governor in 2010.
Manchester School Board Vice Chairman Jim O'Connell said he plans to seek the Democratic nomination.
In November, O'Connell topped the ticket of local school board candidates running citywide with 8,500 votes.
Bedford Town Councilor Michael Strand already had announced he would seek the Democratic nomination and had planned to run against Gatsas.
"Everything, and nothing, has changed. We just went from underdog to favorite in a toss-up race that will determine the future of the Executive Council," Strand said in a statement.
"We are still the best candidate to defeat any Republican challenger."
Strand plans an official launch to his campaign next Tuesday in Manchester.
In 2022, Loudon nurse Terese Grinnell Bastarache opposed Gatsas in the primary and got roughly 28% of the vote.
A vocal critic of the state's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Bastarache said that she will be running again this fall and has 60 activists endorsing her.
The 4th Council District includes Manchester and the towns of Allenstown, Auburn, Barnstead, Barrington, Bedford, Candia, Chichester, Deerfield, Epsom, Goffstown, Hooksett, Lee, Londonderry, Loudon, Northwood, Nottingham, Pembroke, Pittsfield and Strafford.
State Board of Education member Ryan Terrell of Lee said he'll seek the GOP nomination for the council seat Gatsas will be vacating.
"This is a great opportunity for me to try and continue the great legacy of Ted Gatsas," Terrell said.
Terrell is also vice chairman of the state party and seeks to become the first Black resident to serve on the Executive Council.
Ex-State Sen. Melanie Levesque, D-Brookline, announced Wednesday that she too was running for the Executive Council, in this case for the Dist. 5 seat that Milford Republican David Wheeler holds.
Wheeler is running for re-election this fall.
Levesque became the first Black resident to win a State Senate seat in New Hampshire.
Nashua Alderman Shoshanna Kelly is already seeking the Democratic nomination in Wheeler's district. She lost to Wheeler in the 2022 general election.
The Republican-designed redistricting of the council after the 2020 election made the district slightly more Republican-leaning.
Other Republicans who may consider their own campaigns include Senate Majority Leader Sharon Carson, R-Londonderry; Sens. Keith Murphy, R-Manchester; Howard Pearl, R-Loudon; and Denise Ricciardi, R-Bedford; along with former state Sen. Dave Boutin of Hooksett.
Championed Exit 4A
On the Executive Council, Gatsas railed against sole source contracts and the practice of the state paying private vendors up front for services rendered.
He has been the leading champion at the State House for the Exit 4A project off Interstate 93 that opened up massive tracts of land in Londonderry and Derry for development.
"I guess it's a good thing I kept pressing about 4A. You know how government can work — out of sight, out of mind," Gatsas said.
His political career began in 1999 when he was elected alderman from Manchester's Ward 2.
A year later, he won a state Senate seat for the first time.
In 2005, he engineered a stunning coup, teaming with Senate Democrats and Republican Sen. Bob Clegg of Hudson to oust sitting Senate President Tom Eaton, R-Keene, in the middle of Eaton's term as Senate leader.
Clegg, who later became a lobbyist, died suddenly a few months ago.
"We both tried to look out for people and do the best we could," Gatsas said.
Gatsas resigned his Senate seat when he won the first of four terms as mayor of Manchester in 2009.
Democrat Joyce Craig defeated Gatsas for mayor in 2017.
Prior to entering politics, Gatsas created a very successful employee leasing company. He and his brother, Michael, also made ownership investments in thoroughbred horses.
Union Leader Reporter Paul Feely contributed to this report.
